Pleasure-railway



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B. OG-ILBE. PLEASURE RAILWAY.

555049- Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

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B. OGILBE; PLEASURE RAILWAY. N0. 555,049. 7 Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

BETTON OGILBE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLEASU RE-RAI LWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,049, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed August 30, 1895.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BErToN OGILBE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pleasure- Railways; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to the class of inclined railways or water-tobogganing apparatus, wherein an inclined plane provided with ways or tracks is erected adjacent to a body of water and terminates at its lower end at or just beneath the surface thereof, and in which the boats, toboggans, or vehicles are caused to descend the inclined plane and continue under the impetus acquired along the surface of the water, the boats being so constructed as to deflect the water from the sides and prevent splashing the occupants; further,wherein one or more endless elevators or carriers are arranged for the purpose of returning the boats or vehicles to the top of the incline, the passengers being carried either seated in the boats or removed therefrom.

The present improvements relate more particularly to the arrangement of a passengerelevator or movable platform, by which persons at the base of the incline, or, as it is commonly known, chute, may be carried to the upper platform, thus dispensing with cars, stairs, &c., such as are now employed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and wherein like letters indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section of one embodiment of the invention applied. Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in detail of the boat-shifting device. Fig. 4 is a view in plan of a portion of the movable platform. Fig. 5 is a view in transverse section, and Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation thereof. Fig. 7 is a perspective view in detail, on an enlarged scale, showing the relative arrangement of the parts com- Serial No. 561,013. (No model.)

posing the platform; and Figs. 8 and 9 are side and end elevations of the boat-shifting device.

In the drawings, A represents the startingplatform, which is divided centrally bya railing a, and has arranged at opposite sides thereof pivoted or rocking platforms 0?, carrying track-sections a and upon which the boats are designed to be run and supported in a horizontal position to permit the entrance of passengers. To insure against the possibility of an accident, as the unexpected falling or dropping of these platforms, counterweights a may be employed to balance the load upon the pivots.

The downward movement of each platform is regulated by a lever a controlling a friction-brake a, connection with the platform being made through a pinion a upon the brake-wheel shaft and a depending rack-bar a in engagement therewith. Upon releasing the brake-lever the platform moves downward until it becomes aligned with the inclined plane, where it is held in any wellknown manner until the boat is released, when it shoots forward upon the tracks proper.

B represents the inclined plane, which extends from the starting-platform downward at a suitable angle and is curved at the lower extremity, which terminates at or beneath the surface of a body of water. Arranged upon this incline at suitable distances apart area number of tracks 17, forming continuations of the track-sections of the pivoted platforms and upon which the boats are carried and directed forwardly upon the surface of the water.

0 represents the boat returning and elevating device, which consists of an endless chain having at suitable distances apart engaging projections c, by means of which the boats are caught and carried upward to the level of the starting-platform. From this point the boats are carried rearwardly to a traveler moving in ways transversely of the structure.

D represents the traveler, which comprises a transversely-disposed track, arranged at a suitable height above the level of the starting-platform and carrying the traveler proper, which may be of any well-known construction. To permit, the boats to be turned and elevated a swivel and an elevating-lever are interposed at suitable points between the track and the boat-engaging hooks.

E represents a passenger-elevator or movable platform, which is substantially an endless carrier arranged to receive passengers at a point at or adjacent the base of the incline and convey them to a platform above the starting-platform, which latter may be readily reached by stairs suitably arranged. This movable carrier is formed of sections 6, each consisting of a square rod 6 having its ends reduced to form stud-shafts e for rollers e, which run upon rails e and support the section. Upon the upper side of the rod a rubber-topped strip o is secured. These sections are connected by straps 6 which latter have one end fixed to the rod of one section and the opposite end looped around the rod of the adjoining section, so as to permit a limited independent movement.

It will be understood that well-known mechanism will be used for operating the elevatorssuch, for example, as belts or chains from the drive-shafts of engines to the shafts of the endless carriers.

The herein-described apparatus will prove superior to many others 110w in use, owing to its extreme simplicity and cheapness of construction, as well as its durability and adaptability for accommodating large numbers of people in a safe and reliable manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The combination with an inclined track terminating adjacent to the surface of a body of water, of a pivoted track-section forming part of the track proper, vehicles or boats movable upon the track, a vehicle or boat elevating device, a transversely-movable vehicle or boat shifting device, and a movable platform by which passengers are carried from the base of the inclined track to the top thereof, for the purpose described.

2. The combination with one or more inclined tracks and vehicles movable thereon, of a movable platform E extending parallel with and in the plane of the tracks, for the purpose described.

3. The combination with inclined tracks and vehicles movable thereon, of a section forming a continuation of the main track and pivotally mounted and eounterweighted to swing into or out of alignment therewith, and a lever controlling the movement of the track section, as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BEFON OGILBE. \Vitnesses:

F. M. JOHNSON, Enw. A. BARRON. 

